
Six years ago publishers were willing to accept the proposition that “information wants to be free.” Today, fueled by the dot-bomb debacle and new guidelines from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, publishers appear more eager to embrace the notion that “information providers want to be paid.” This turnaround threatens to dilute the accomplishments of a remarkable period when a $60 billion, 395-year-old industry reared up on its hind legs and began to achieve the unthinkable: It recognized a disruptive technology early, accepted an unconventional business model, and seized a market position.